"Cities Acting to Bar Disloyalty," Arkansas Democrat, April 26, 1918

CITIES ACTING TO
BAR DISLOYALTY
Model Ordinance Has Been
Enacted by Several Towns -
Others to Take It Up.
The State council of Defense is re-
ceiving gratifying returns from various
communities in the State that have tak-
en up its model ordinance for the pun-
ishment of disloyalty and sedition. Lit-
tle Rock, Conway and several other
places have passed the ordinance, indi-
cating a desire on the part of the people
to stamp out disloyalty.
In calling the attention of the public
to this matter, Director Wallace Town-
send of the State Council of Defense,
says:
"The Arkansas State Council of De-
fense has been working for some time
to devise some adequate way of reach-
ing the disloyal citizen, who makes no
grossly abusive statement or does no
overt disloyal act, but tries to discourage
and disparage war work of all kinds
"As a result of our efforts an ordi-
nance has been drafted, which we sub-
ject of the ordinance is to offer a local
means for punishing either written or
spoken disloyalty or sedition, that can-
not be reached by the present federal
law on the subject. It is not intended
that the ordinance shall be used as a
means to harass or prosecture people
who are simploy unpopular, but we rely
upon the good judgment of the executive
officers of our cities and towns to use
the power conferred by the ordinance
with judgment and discretion.
"This, of course, will not reach dis-
loyalty outside the jurisdiction of the
town or city passing the ordinance, but
will offer, under the police power of
towns and cities, an effective way to
punish disloyalty committed within the
city of town limits.
"We urge that you bring this ordi-
nance, or some similar measure, to the
attention of the officers of the cities
and towns in your county, and believe
that its general passage will be very
effective in securing that loyalty which
we desire so much.

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CITIES ACTING TO
BAR DISLOYALTY
Model Ordinance Has Been
Enacted by Several Towns -
Others to Take It Up.
The State council of Defense is re-
ceiving gratifying returns from various
communities in the State that have tak-
en up its model ordinance for the pun-
ishment of disloyalty and sedition. Lit-
tle Rock, Conway and several other
places have passed the ordinance, indi-
cating a desire on the part of the people
to stamp out disloyalty.
In calling the attention of the public
to this matter, Director Wallace Town-
send of the State Council of Defense,
says:
"The Arkansas State Council of De-
fense has been working for some time
to devise some adequate way of reach-
ing the disloyal citizen, who makes no
grossly abusive statement or does no
overt disloyal act, but tries to discourage
and disparage war work of all kinds
"As a result of our efforts an ordi-
nance has been drafted, which we sub-
ject of the ordinance is to offer a local
means for punishing either written or
spoken disloyalty or sedition, that can-
not be reached by the present federal
law on the subject. It is not intended
that the ordinance shall be used as a
means to harass or prosecture people
who are simploy unpopular, but we rely
upon the good judgment of the executive
officers of our cities and towns to use
the power conferred by the ordinance
with judgment and discretion.
"This, of course, will not reach dis-
loyalty outside the jurisdiction of the
town or city passing the ordinance, but
will offer, under the police power of
towns and cities, an effective way to
punish disloyalty committed within the
city of town limits.
"We urge that you bring this ordi-
nance, or some similar measure, to the
attention of the officers of the cities
and towns in your county, and believe
that its general passage will be very
effective in securing that loyalty which
we desire so much.

Description

Article about the model loyalty ordinance created by the State Council of Defense, discussing the purpose of the ordinance.

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